Connecticut western news., 1887-01-26
THE STORY OF A BOOK.
BY BENJAMIN NoRTHRUP.

The housemaid had found it iu an old cedar box in the att.c and put it beside volume of Dickens on the middle shelf of the library bookcase. It was little, square, green covered, dog-eared, round cornered geography. It was published when the art of geography making was comparatively speaking, in it's infancy. It's maps had blue seas, green, red, white, yellow, purple, brown and many other colored lands, and it was embcliished with odd pictures of still oddcr people dressed more singuIarly still who have become entirely extinct long since the artist who drew them died, if the gcog- raphies of the present day arc reliable in their illustrations.
 The advent of this old-fashioned vol ame among the richly bound books in the library caused tlutter of excitement uot unmiuglcd with indignation.
 II can't see for the life of me-" ex- claimed a collection of Matthew Arnold's essays, "why this common book should force himself upon cur company"
 "No. nor l." responded the Dickens aovel, sharply. 'If this library is to be turned into literary junk shop we night as we'll be in secondhand store 1t oncc."
 "Yes, indced," echoed in unison a row of seotts novels, which stood like line of British soldiers with bright red suits, on an opposite shelf.
 ''Come, what have you got to say for Fourselfa' inquired grutf old Bep John son, ''What made you stick yourself n here against our consent9'
 q didn't want to come," answered the Geography, mildly. 'Indeed ] iidn't. It wasn't my fault. was ly- .ng in the old cedar chest in the attic, where have lain ever since she grew ID and where-I would have been now but"
 "shes' interrupted Dickens. "Who s she, praya'' si.t.
 "Why, don't you know hcr?" replied he Geography in amazement. "I thought you must kuow her. She used 70 study me when she was little piuk-faccd girl, years and years ago. She and Jack studied me together. They were very fond of me, and I sup. pose that is tho reason I have been kept 50 long,"
 "JackF" again inquired the inquis tive Dickens, ''yho IS 'Jack.'"
 "Ja,k," continued the Geography, eu Enthusiastically, "was the handsomest boy ever knew, and knew whole gener s'ion of boys and girls too. I ought tt know them we'll, for l was read thumbed and studied by them for nearly 'orty years before Jack found me on tht book shelf in his fathers library, wher, ais older brother had left me when h. finished school and went to sea-"
 "That doesn't explain how you hap pened to be here," iutcrposed Ben Jon son, rudeiy. "Come tell Us that"
 'I was just about to tell you," con ;inued the Geography. "You sec Jack took mc to school with him th very first day he went there. It Wa he little red school house under the hill You probably know it. No2 though everyone knew where that was. Tn nast,r was very strict and very cruel S used to think, and every day he use 10 whip nearly all the boys and kee half the girls in at recess. Just becaus they whispered, and I tell you ths boys and girls can't keep from whisper ing in school any more than from breath ing. said nearly alp the boys. Jac
 was one he didn't whip. Whys Jac was cripple. How did that happen Ell tell you Phillis-sbc was Jack sweetheart was the prcttiest girl in a
 he school. She was younger than Jac
 just 8 year. He was twelve and sf
 eleven, and they loved each other iu
 as much as people good deal older tha
 they Were, if not little more. O,
 day after school Jack and Pniliis we
 sliding down the school hill on Jack
 big sled. The master was out watchir
 them. Tine road didn't run straigl
 down the hill, hut wound around dow
 through & small grov: of trees. TT
 road had been covered with water ar
 was ice from top to bottom, and u sleds flew faster than the wind as th'
 went down. This afternoon Phillis s in front of the sled, her little red stocl ings curled up under her dress, whi Jack held on behind and steered wi his leg. They started-- the last sli, they had-from the top, and were goil faster than they had ever gonc before, wh
 Phlllis gave little scream and caug
 hold of the sled tighter than ever. Ja' a looked over her shoulder and saw l. 7 sled, piled high with logs, crossing t road. How fast they were going, and he 7 slow it crept along! The seconds seem : like years. They could't possibly turn or for it was in the very middle of tho gro It didn't take Jack iong to make up , mind what to do. With quick swe of his leg he turned the sled sideway } He couldn't stop it, but he could ma tin end whore he sat hit the logs fir A second iatcr Phillis was lying ir